Introducing the Convergence Ecosystem

Today we are introducing the Outlier Ventures vision of the future and our refined thesis: The Convergence Ecosystem.

The Ecosystem sees data captured by the Internet of Things, managed by blockchains, automated by artificial intelligence, and all incentivised using crypto-tokens. The Convergence Ecosystem is open-source, distributed, decentralised, automated and tokenised and we believe it is nothing less than an economic paradigm shift.

How We Got Here: The Outlier Journey

From Blockchain-enabled Convergence

In late 2016, we published a paper titled: ‘Blockchain-enabled Convergence’ outlining our investment strategy. The paper was the result of over three years’ experience researching, investing and building blockchain-based businesses. Our insight was that blockchains are not just a secure ledger for cryptocurrencies and other digital assets, but that they represented something more transformative: a decentralised data infrastructure. Infrastructure that could solve technical and market problems across a variety of emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, autonomous robotics, the Internet of Things, 3D printing and augmented and virtual reality.

In 2017, crypto-tokens proved they are the first digitally-native mass coordination mechanism

2017 saw a vast change in the cryptocurrency and blockchain markets to arguably the peak of inflated expectations as per the Gartner Hype Cycle. The ERC20 smart contract industrialised the token sale crowdfunding model, raising over 4 billion dollars in funding. Despite misplaced energy and too much focus on token prices, it is now clear, in a way that wasn’t in late 2016, that crypto-tokens are a critical missing component in decentralised networks – the first digitally-native mass coordination mechanism for humans, bots and machines. Recognising the underlying importance of crypto-tokens to create an ecosystem of converging technologies, we started investing.

From IOTA, Botanic & SEED, Evernym & Sovrin, to Fetch and Ocean

Over the last year we have partnered with and invested in IOTA, a foundation building Internet of Things infrastructure with a new type of decentralised data structure. Botanic and the SEED Vault foundation it founded, creating a platform for developers to publish trusted software bots. Evernym, a company using the Sovrin Network and Protocol to establish self-sovereign identity. Fetch, a startup building an emergent intelligence protocol combining distributed ledgers with machine learning. And most recently, Ocean Protocol, who are developing a decentralised data exchange protocol to unlock data for AI. Each of these investments have been strategically chosen because they are a complimentary piece of decentralised infrastructure required to create the Convergence Ecosystem.

Why We Need The Convergence Ecosystem

Centralised Web 2.0 has failed…

Centralised Web 2.0 digital infrastructure has failed. Too many hacks and data leaks. No individual privacy. Monopoly control over global information and communities networks. The Internet of Things is creating an unmanageable data environment, and artificial intelligence is giving those who control the most data more power than any company in history. As Tim-Berners Lee, the creator of the Web, recently wrote;

“What’s more, the fact that power is concentrated among so few companies has made it possible to weaponise the web at scale. In recent years, we’ve seen conspiracy theories trend on social media platforms, fake Twitter and Facebook accounts stoke social tensions, external actors interfere in elections, and criminals steal troves of personal data.”

Something must change.

We are 10 years into the decentralisation revolution

It has been ten years since the publication of Satoshi’s seminal paper and the introduction of the first viable decentralised solution to the problem of double-spend in digital networks. Bitcoin sparked interest and innovation in other cryptographic and decentralised technologies including blockchains and crypto-tokens. We are in a rapid period of experimentation around decentralised technologies including consensus mechanisms, identity, data structures, crypto-economic designs and smart contracts. Taken together, we see the foundations of a new data infrastructure.

Our Vision: The Convergence Ecosystem

Introducing the Convergence Ecosystem

We believe that future decentralised data infrastructure will come from the convergence of the Internet of Things (data production), blockchains (data distribution), and artificial intelligence (data consumption). The integration of these technologies will see markets become increasingly open-source, distributed, decentralised, automated, and tokenised.

The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association of Canada (NCFA Canada) is a cross-Canada non-profit actively engaged with both social and investment crowdfunding, alternative finance, fintech, P2P, ICO, and online investing stakeholders across the country. NCFA Canada provides education, research, industry stewardship, and networking opportunities to over 1600+ members and works closely with industry, government, academia, community and eco-system partners and affiliates to create a strong and vibrant crowdfunding and fintech industry in Canada. For more information, please visit: ncfacanada.org